Commissioning the Community for the Divine Mission
Text: Luke 10:1-12
Last year, a government officer visited our Sermapore college to conduct an awareness program on safe online transactions. During the session, she said something that stayed in my mind. She said, “I came to speak to the theology students because the impact will be much greater.” She explained that theology students are the future leaders of the Church. What we learn here, we will one day teach and share with many people. Her words reminded me of our calling. Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, we are not here only to gain knowledge or earn a degree. God has brought us here to prepare us for His mission. He is shaping us to serve His people and proclaim His Kingdom. I have entitled my sermon, “Commissioning the Community for the Divine Mission.” From Luke 10, we will learn what is the reality of the mission, what is the responsibility of the disciples, and what is the mission strategy of Jesus.
Let us look to God in Prayer
Greetings to all in the matchless name of Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
The passage begins with the word “After,” showing that it continues the events of the previous chapter. In Luke 9, Jesus sent the twelve disciples to proclaim the Kingdom of God. Now, in Luke 10:1-12, He appoints seventy-two more disciples and sends them ahead to every town He plans to visit. Luke is the only Gospel writer who records this event. Some ancient manuscripts read “seventy” disciples, while others read “seventy-two.” The reading “seventy-two” is found in important manuscripts such as Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Bezae. Early Christian writer St. Hippolytus, who lived in the late second and early third century, also preserved a list of the seventy-two disciples. For these reasons, I will use “seventy-two disciples” throughout this sermon. Many scholars connect this number with the nations listed in Genesis 10. It reminds us that God's mission is for all people, not only for Israel. Jesus sends the disciples two by two, showing that ministry is meant to be done together. They would encourage, support, and pray for one another as they prepared the way for Jesus by sharing the good news of God's Kingdom. Jesus also tells them that the mission will not be easy. He prepares them for the challenges ahead. This brings us to our first point:
1. The Reality of the Mission Field.
The Reality of the Mission Field
Jesus shows us the true reality of the mission field in Luke 10:2, saying, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.” He uses the picture of a harvest field to describe a world that is ready to hear the good news of God's Kingdom. The harvest represents people who are ready to receive the gospel, and the laborers are those whom God calls to share His message. There are many people who need to hear the gospel, but only a few are willing to go. Therefore, Jesus tells His disciples to pray that the Lord of the harvest will send more workers into His field. This reminds us that the mission belongs to God, and He invites us to take part in His work. In Luke 10:3, He says, “Go on your way. See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves.” This means that His followers may face rejection, opposition, and suffering. A lamb is gentle, weak, and depends completely on its shepherd for protection. In the same way, we are called to serve God with humility and to depend on Christ rather than on our own strength. Jesus also says in John 10:11, “I am the good shepherd.” As our Good Shepherd, He guides us, protects us, and remains with us wherever we go. Some Bible scholars understand the picture of lambs among wolves as pointing to God's mission beyond Israel to the Gentile nations. Luke's Gospel shows that through Jesus Christ, both Jews and Gentiles are brought together into one family of God. The reality of the mission field is that it is full of people who need the gospel, but it is also a place of hardship and spiritual conflict. Even when we face challenges, we are called to remain faithful and continue sharing the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. We can do this with confidence because the Good Shepherd is always with us. Today, we live in a world where many people are moving away from God. Even though technology keeps us connected, many people still feel lonely, worried, and without hope. The mission field is no longer only in distant villages or other countries. It is all around us, in our classrooms, colleges, families, neighbourhoods, and even on social media. God has placed each one of us where we are for a purpose. We are called to represent Jesus in our daily lives. This passage reminds us that every believer is a disciple. Wherever God has placed us, that is our mission field, and He calls us to share His love and His Kingdom with others. This is the reality of the mission field. Jesus not only shows the challenges of the mission but also teaches His disciples how to carry it out. This brings us to our second point:
2. The Responsibility of the Disciples.
The Responsibility of the disciples
Jesus instructed the seventy-two disciples to begin their ministry by saying, “Peace to this house” (V5). In Jewish culture, shalom (peace) was much more than a greeting. It meant God's blessing, wholeness, well-being, and security. In the Old Testament, peace referred to a life of safety, harmony, and God's favor. Every Israelite greeting, whether in conversation or in a letter, expressed a wish for God's peace. In the Greco-Roman world, however, peace usually meant the absence of war or social conflict. But Jesus gave a deeper meaning to peace. He sent His disciples to bring God’s peace through the message of His Kingdom. Jesus also told them not to spend time greeting people on the road. This did not mean they should be rude. Instead, Jesus wanted them to stay focused on their mission. They were not to give importance to social customs or themselves, but to the work of proclaiming God's Kingdom. The instructions Jesus gave to the seventy-two are similar to those He gave the Twelve in Luke 9:1-6. They were not to move from house to house looking for better food or more comfortable places to stay. Instead, they were to remain in the house that welcomed them and gratefully accept whatever was provided. This taught them to be content, avoid selfish ambition, and depend on God to provide through the hospitality of others. Jesus said that if a person of peace lived in that house, the peace they offered would rest on that person. A person of peace is someone who is open to God's Kingdom and receives the disciples with faith and hospitality. If the message was rejected, the peace would return to the disciples. This shows that God's grace is freely offered, but it must be received by faith. The disciples were also commanded to heal the sick and proclaim, “The kingdom of God has come near to you” (V 9). Their mission was not only to preach but also to show God’s compassion through acts of healing and service. Their ministry combined both word and deed, revealing the nearness of God's Kingdom. Jesus reminded His disciples that “the labourer deserves to be paid.” The Greek word for “labourer” is ἐργάτης refers to a worker, especially one who works in the agricultural fields and deserves wages. In the mission field, the disciples reward was not money but the hospitality, food, and care they received from those who welcomed them. Their support came through the people to whom they ministered. Today, many churches fail in their responsibility to the community by treating evangelism like a program that only focuses on numbers and results instead of building loving and genuine relationships with people. Sometimes churches only do social service without sharing the message of God's Kingdom. At other times, they only preach the gospel but ignore the needs and suffering of people. Jesus calls us to do both. In Luke 10:5-9, He sent His disciples to bring peace, care for the sick, and proclaim that the Kingdom of God has come near. As followers of Christ, we are called to share the gospel with humility, love, compassion, and genuine care for the whole person. After teaching the disciples their responsibility, Jesus now shows how His mission strategy is put into practice.
This brings us to our third point:
3. The Realization of the Mission Strategy.
Realization of the Mission Strategy
In Luke 10:10-12, Jesus changes His instruction from those who receive the disciples to those who reject them. He says that if a town does not welcome them, they should go into its streets and say, “Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.” Shaking the dust from their feet was a symbolic act. It showed that the people had rejected God’s message and were responsible for their own decision. Jesus did not tell His disciples to argue, fight, or force anyone to believe. Instead, they were to leave peacefully after faithfully sharing the good news. The mission of the church is to invite people into God’s Kingdom, not to force them to accept it. Jesus also warns about the seriousness of rejecting God’s Kingdom. He says that such a town will face greater judgment than Sodom. In the Old Testament, Sodom became a symbol of great wickedness and God’s judgment because its people rejected His ways. In the same way, those who reject the message of God’s Kingdom reject God’s gracious invitation. Therefore, the responsibility of the disciples is to faithfully proclaim the gospel. Whether people accept or reject the message is their responsibility before God. This truth is also important for us today. Rejection does not always come through physical opposition. Many Christians face rejection through criticism on social media, hostile comments, exclusion, or complete indifference. In such situations, we should remember Jesus’ instruction. We are not called to win every argument or force every conversation. We are called to faithfully share the gospel with love and peace. Sometimes, “shaking the dust off our feet” means letting go emotionally and spiritually. It means not wasting our time and energy in endless arguments with people who are unwilling to listen. Instead, we should leave behind a loving witness, continue praying for them, and move forward to those whose hearts are open to receive the good news. Our responsibility is faithfulness; the results belong to God.
Before I conclude, let me share a true story. Sister . Rani Maria, a Catholic nun, served poor and landless families in Madhya Pradesh. They lived in fear, worked for wealthy landlords, received very low wages, and had little hope. She went to the people, lived among them, listened to their struggles, shared the love of Christ, and brought peace and hope into their lives. She helped them understand their rights and encouraged them to build a better future. As their lives changed, some powerful landlords rejected her because they feared losing their control. On February 25, 1995, she was brutally murdered. Yet her family chose to forgive her murderer, and he later repented. Her life reflects the Reality of mission and love of Jesus Christ.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, the harvest is still plentiful, and Jesus is still calling workers into His mission. The people around us are searching for hope, peace, and the love of Christ. Like the seventy-two disciples, we are called to go with humility, compassion, and complete trust in our Good Shepherd. We may face rejection or difficulties, but we are not sent alone. Christ goes before us, walks with us, and gives us the strength to continue His mission. So let us go to the people, bring God's peace into broken lives, serve with love, and faithfully proclaim His Kingdom. May our lives reflect Christ's love, just as Sr. Rani Maria's life did. May God find us faithful workers in His harvest. Amen.
Name: Samfrancies Kennady.B
Text: Luke 10:1-12
Date: 04.08.2026
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